Ten Dynamic Emotions That Drive Leadership Success

Paul Fieldhouse

Hyperion Growth

In our first articles we gave on overview on leadership IQ and EQ, and how we can have a high IQ and be intelligent but without Emotional Capital this is valueless from a leadership perspective.

We then discussed External, Internal and Intrapersonal Capital and how as leaders we should be looking to create emotional wealth to ensure our competitive advantage, we looked at how to change and then at the 10 behavioural areas. This month we look at how elite leaders scored in the test.

In this article we will look at an overview of the 10 leadership behaviours and an explanation of each beginning with:-

Using an example of elite leaders who when tested scored higher than the average on every scale of emotional intelligence – the highest scores were on: Self-Reliance – the emotional power to accept responsibility, back personal judgments and be self-reliant in planning and making important decisions; Self-Confidence – the ability to maintain self-respect and personal confidence; Relationship Skills – the knack for characterised by positive expectations.

In terms of leading a business, these three competencies enable a leader to model self-assured behaviour; communicate a clear view of the organisation’s vision and direction; inspire the confidence of others, and gain their support and commitment to building successful relationships – not only with employees and customers, but with everyone the business touches.

A second cluster of high scores that distinguish these leaders included: Optimism – not just ‘the glass is half full’ kind, but optimism as a strategy – as a way of dealing with difficulties and sensing opportunities. Emotionally intelligent leaders look on the brighter side of life and sense opportunities even in the face of adversity. They are resilient, can see the big picture and where they are going, and are able to focus on the possibilities of what can be achieved.

Secondly, they scored well on Self-Knowing – emotionally intelligent leaders are aware of their emotional experience and have the capacity to recognise how their feelings and emotions impact on their personal opinions, attitudes and judgments. In other words, they remain open to discovering new things about themselves and are not afraid to modify their behaviour.

Thirdly, this cluster included Self-Actualiseation – high scores on this skill suggest that these leaders know how to manage their reserves of emotional energy and have achieved an effective level of work/life balance. They appear to thrive in setting challenging personal and professional goals and their enthusiasm is likely contagious.

Final group of skillsThe final group of skills that differentiated these leaders from the rest included:

Straightforwardness– this suggests that they are able to express their feelings, thoughts and beliefs openly in a straightforward way, while respecting the fact that others may hold a different opinion or expectation.

They are comfortable challenging the views of others and give clear messages. The second skill in this cluster included Adaptability – the ability to adapt thinking, feelings and actions in response to changing situations and be tolerant of others, and receptive to new ideas. In other words, they are champions of change.

Not surprisingly, they also scored well on Empathy. This is the skill that enables a person to grasp the emotional dimension of a business situation and create resonant connections with others. This is also the skill that makes talent dance in an organisation.

Finally, they scored well on Self-Control – emotionally intelligent leaders have the ability to manage their emotions well and restrain their actions until they have time to think rationally. They are able to stay calm in stressful situations and maintain productivity without losing control. This skill is critical to building and maintaining a consistent leadership presence and for becoming a ‘trusted advisor’ to people.

This article is correct at 04/11/2015

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